BEIS Issues Backing for UK Shale Gas Industry, Sets Out Support Actions

BEIS Issues Backing for UK Shale Gas Industry, Sets Out Support Actions
The Secretary of State for the UK's Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy department issues his backing for the UK's onshore shale gas industry and set out a series of actions to support the sector.

The Secretary of State for the UK’s Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy department has issued his backing for the UK’s onshore shale gas industry and set out a series of actions to support the development of shale gas extraction in the UK.

“Further development of onshore gas resources has the potential to deliver substantial economic benefits to the UK economy and for local communities, where supplies are located by creating thousands of new jobs directly in extraction, local support services, and the rest of the supply chain,” Greg Clark MP said in a written statement to parliament.

“We are setting out a series of actions … to support the development of shale gas extraction,” he added.

As part of these actions, Clark announced a range of measures to facilitate timely decisions on shale exploration planning applications in England.

Clark also confirmed that a shale environmental regulator would be set up “from the summer” and revealed plans to work with industry to see how community benefits could be improved.

Francis Egan, CEO of Cuadrilla Resources, welcomed Clark’s announcement.

“Our planning permission to drill and test just four shale gas exploratory wells in Lancashire was granted after a lengthy and costly three-year process. These timelines must improve if the country is to benefit from its own, much needed, indigenous source of gas,” Egan said in a company statement.

Ineos Shale said the announcement was ‘a step in the right direction’.

“The government’s announcement today that they will review the planning processes regarding shale is a step in the right direction,” Lynn Calder, commercial director at Ineos Shale, said in a statement sent to Rigzone.

“We will work with government to try and help them put in place a regulatory environment that makes a UK onshore gas industry both safe and commercially sustainable,” Calder added.

The chief executive of UKOOG, the industry body for the UK onshore oil and gas industry, said the announcement goes “some way” to ensuring that the UK’s energy security is protected.

"This country needs a diverse supply of energy which protects and secures UK jobs and UK taxes,” UKOOG’s Ken Cronin said in an organization statement.



WHAT DO YOU THINK?


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Andy Bones  |  May 17, 2018
The circus that has been created by the opponents to UK shale gas had to come to an end. The country is not run for the few protesters, it has to be run for the many. The many need gas, need to keep warm, need to cook and need a reliable source of power and energy. Industry too needs affordable, plentyful and reliable energy. No country with its own resources should be importing them just because a few environmentalists don’t like the idea of it being in their back yard. For once the government showed some balls!


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